Chosen - A Curse Within a Curse
by Ambereve
Summary: Lily Jacobson was kidnapped by a cat, but not just by any cat, a shape-shifting cursed cat. She had been chosen as the next bride, but not for the cat, for his master, King Cherem.
1. Prologue

Without any windows or doors, she remained trapped within a cold and damp room, chained to a deep glass bowl filled with water. The Great Mother's iron and gold tower stood from the far reaches of the City of Silver Stone shrouded in an eternal fog. Like the citizens, she too was cursed. She was a soulless entity whose existence wasn't known to the citizens outside of the tower.

"Animal by day, man at night – cursed, we are to have no face; a thousand years, I have searched. Find me the one who will be the next king, so that he may break our curse," the Great Mother's voice spoke into the darkness. Her words transformed into a green mist which hung in the air above the bowl, until finally it dropped into the water.

Dark light flashed, and her reflection rippled and morphed, transforming into Earth. The Great Mother raised her hand; with her mind, she moved the water. Earth morphed into woods and then into a cottage, entering a field where three children played. A little girl sat alone while two boys wrestled on the ground. The water stilled as she dragged her fingers across the image of the older boy's face.

"Jason McKenedrick, you will be our next king."

Callimae, Mississippi

The trees are long and skinny, but it was as if God took regular pines and stretched them. The sun found small open patches to escape stagnant rain clouds that jam-packed the sky. The Jacobsons' blue and white cottage resided within a circle of the long, skinny trees. The yard was vast and filled with flowers and plants, and near the back porch was a large oak with elongated spider-like branches.

Lily Jacobson kicked her legs back and forth on the lawn chair. She watched her brother play with his best friend. She grabbed a handful of yellow flowers at her feet. She set them on her dress and brushed off the grass and dirt. When she was satisfied, she picked up one of the flowers and smelled it. She giggled when it tickled her nose.

Lily didn't like sitting alone. Grandma said she had to, but she was bored. After picking the petals clean from the flower, she threw the stem down. Now she wanted to play. Grandpa wouldn't mind if she ran off and got dirty. Lily tossed the rest of the flowers aside and looked down at her brand new yellow sundress. She hadn't even moved very much and she already had mud steaks across the hem. Well, since she was already dirty, she couldn't possibly get any dirtier.

She slid off her chair and looked toward the woods. The trees seemed to almost touch the sky. She was jealous of those trees. She wished she could climb to the very top and enter heaven, and then maybe she could meet her mama there. At the same time, she loved the trees; they protected her. If she ever got into trouble with her grandma, she would hide up in the branches. Lily shook her dress. A clump of dirt fell between her sandaled feet. She rubbed her eye, smudging dirt along her eyebrow and nose. She wanted to play hide-and-seek, but the only problem was she had to convince her brother.

Myles refused anything that he did not want to do. She swore he didn't like her. Myles was always grouchy. He liked to hog his friend all to himself, but she liked his friend too. She'd get Myles to play with her. She had to hurry though. If Grandma found her out of her seat, she'd drag Lily inside the house without a word. Lily rubbed her eye again. She gave a big sigh before she skipped toward her brother and his friend who wrestled on the ground. She squatted, asked if they'd play with her, and then quickly avoided a foot to her face.

Jaxson McKenedrick laughed and dodged his friend's elbow. He watched Myles's little sister skip toward them. He cleared his throat and tried to tell his friend, but Myles wasn't in a listening mood. Lily finally squatted and said, "Do you want to play hide-and-seek?"

Oblivious to Lily, Myles continued to wrestle with Jaxson. Myles's leg kicked out and nearly caught his sister in the face. Jaxson shoved Myles off him and sat up.

Clutching her dress with dirty fingers, Lily shouted, "Will you play hide-and-seek with me?"

Myles hollered back, "You don't need to scream Lily. We can hear you." He sat up from the ground and crossed his legs.

"Well maybe not after that," Jaxson commented. He watched Lily's face turn red.

"You weren't listening to me – I didn't make you go deaf, did I?"

"I'm not deaf," Jaxson replied in a dry voice as he lay back down in the grass, putting his hands behind his head.

"What do you want, Lily?" Myles asked, watching her.

"I just said it twice. Weren't you paying attention?"

"No. Why would I listen to you?"

"Because I'm your sister Myles. Stop being so mean," she nearly shouted again. She looked toward the house and then back to Myles again.

Myles stuck his tongue out.

"Fine. If you won't play with me, I'll ask Jaxson."

"Oh no, you don't Lily. Jaxson doesn't want to play with no twelve-year-old. We're fourteen. Who wants to play with a girl?"

Lily took a step forward with fisted hands by her sides. "What'd you say, Myles?"

"You heard me."

"I dare you to say it again!"

Jaxson sighed and sat up; grabbing his friend's forearm, he pulled Myles toward him. Jaxson whispered so only Myles could hear. "Don't be so mean to her. Let's just play with her for a little while, okay?"

Myles groaned, "Do we have to?" Jaxson nodded. Myles fell onto his back with a sigh. "Fine. But only for ten minutes. Then she'll have to go."

Myles stood up from the ground, shoving Jaxson away from him. "Lily, if you want to play…what did you say you wanted to play again?"

"Hide and seek."

"Whatever. We'll play. But you'll have to be it."

Lily nodded.

"Since Jaxson is still on the floor –"

"Only because you pushed me there," Jaxson interrupted.

"Shut up. I'm talking," Myles growled and then looked back at Lily. "I'll go hide first." He started to walk toward the woods when he stopped and said, "You better start counting. And you have ten minutes to find us." Myles ran off into the cover of the trees.

Jaxson sat up and looked at Lily. "Don't cry."

"I wasn't going to cry," Lily said.

"Myles is…well, you know how he is. Don't take what he says personally. Okay?"

She bobbed her head and left to walk over to the big oak. Jaxson got to his feet and followed her. Lily folded her arms on the bark and started to count. Jaxson sat and leaned against the tree. He waited till she got to seven when he tapped her on the shoulder.

"You don't have to be it. I'll do it. So go and hide."

Lily pushed away from the tree and glared at him. "I can do it. I'm not a baby."

"I know you're not a baby. But I've always wanted to be it. You always end up being the seeker. So let me do it this once, okay?"

He watched Lily twirl her black curly hair. He always liked her eyes. She had nice green ones. His eyes were green too, but not like hers. Her eyes were more like the grass, while his reminded him more of a murky greenish-brown swamp. To top it off, while she had jet black hair, his hair was more like the inside of a pomegranate. He grinned and shook his head.

Lily finally sat down and asked, "What's funny?"

"My hair."

"But I like your hair. It's really, really red." She reached over and touched it. "It's softer than mine. And I'm a girl."

"I guess I can always tell you my secret, but then Myles might be jealous that your hair will be softer than his."

She laughed and tucked her dress under her legs.

"So you'll let me be the seeker?" He asked again.

She nodded and stood up, brushing off her dress.

Hiding a smile, he gawked at her. Lily was wearing a yellow sun dress. She kept trying to brush off grass streaks and dried mud patches, but she ended up making it worse. She gave him a smile and said, "Fine. If you're going to be it, you'll have to count to a hundred. And you can't do it fast either. You have to go like this 'One Mississippi, two Mississippi'. Got it?"

"Oh, I got it all right. Lily, can I tell you something?"

She gazed at him from the corner of her eyes. "You're not going to say anything mean like Myles, are you?"

"No. Lily, I…you have dirt all over your face."

He couldn't say it. He wanted to tell her that he liked her, like how a boy likes a girl.

"I do?" Lily touched her face, smearing even more dirt on her cheeks. "Grandma's going to be mad at me again." She looked back at the house. "I'll have to wash my face later before she sees."

It's not like he wanted her to be his girlfriend or anything. No. He just wanted to see if she liked him back. He hated this one-sided liking. He had to know, to put him out of his misery. If she did like him, then he would be the happiest fourteen year-old ever, but if she didn't, he would keep his feelings bottled up for the next couple of years until she started to have the same feelings.

He was going to say it. The words were there. They filled his mouth, but he swallowed them back up and kept them lodged in his throat. He failed. She wouldn't know, but maybe that was a good thing. He didn't want to ruin their friendship. He decided to keep his feelings to himself and wait, but he still wanted to touch her. Even if he only touched her hand, he needed to satisfy the hunger for acceptance.

Jaxson reached out, but before he could touch her Lily ran off. He sighed and leaned back against the tree. He gazed up at the sky and thought it might rain soon. He faced the bushes, crossed his arms and closed his eyes. He thought he had heard a rustling sound. He waited until he didn't hear it again.

He had wasted enough time here. He better start counting.

Lily wandered further into the woods. She walked unknowingly through distorted air and light. The temperature immediately started to drop once she passed through. She shivered and clutched her arms to her body. She wanted to stop moving and sit down. Mississippi never got this cold in July. She could see her breath as she breathed. They were by the coast. The sea breeze brought in storm clouds, and they'd have the occasional hurricane, but it was always warm. Ice coated strands of her hair. Her eyelashes were thick with frost. Where was she?

She was lost. The trees were no longer thin; they were thick and enormous, and instead of touching the sky, she swore they reached space since she didn't see any branches or leaves. She kept walking until her legs finally gave out. It was foggy now. She was so sleepy and cold. She collapsed to the ground, lied her head down on her hands, and closed her eyes.

She woke when she heard whispering. It was dark, but there were still hints of lights in the trees. She looked around and scooted closer to a nearby tree. She scrunched in a ball and put her hands over her head. Animal faces poked their heads out from behind tree trunks. They moved closer. One of them was so close that she saw that the creature had a human body with the face of an owl. She opened her mouth to scream but no sound left her. She gaped in horror at the humanoid-like creatures. She closed her eyes and prayed with all her might. She rocked her body back and forth. Praying louder and louder, she finally yelled, "I rebuke you in Jesus's name. I am protected by his precious blood. You must leave." Lily repeated this over two more times.

One of the creatures whispered, "She brought God into the forest."

After the third prayer she finally lifted her head; they were gone.

Jaxson finished counting. He pushed away from the tree and stretched. He yawned. After the game, he might go lie down for a bit. Another rustling noise came from the woods.

"Jaxson McKenedrick will be our next king," voices whispered.

Jaxson moved away from the oak and took a step toward the trees. Was he hearing things? The branches waved for him to leave as the wind danced through them. He stopped a couple of feet away from the woods' entrance.

"Is someone there? Myles, is that you?" He heard a cracking noise behind him. His body tensed. "This isn't funny man. I'm going to seriously knock you out." Jaxson turned. He took a step back. A large buck watched him. The animal was close; he could see his reflection in its black eyes. There was another crunching noise. Two more bucks appeared at his sides. He spun around to find a fourth behind him. He was surrounded.

They chanted, "Jaxson McKenedrick, you are our next king."

The bucks pinned him within their antlers. Jaxson grabbed one of the bucks' horns and tried to push it away. A buck grabbed him by the back of his shirt and yanked him out of the circle. Jaxson tried pulling away and taking off his shirt, but the animal was too powerful. His feet dragged in front of him. Dirt shot up into his face. The woods' shadows overwhelmed him. He didn't want to go in there. He opened his mouth to yell. He clawed at the animal as he called for help. He dug his feet into the ground as he grabbed a stick and stabbed the creature.

He was crying; his father said a man never cried. He wasn't a man; he was only a boy. The three other bucks had already vanished into the woods. The buck, dragging him, was nearly within the safety of the trees. Grandma and Grandpa Jacobson threw open the door to the cottage. They shouted at him, but they were so far away. They wouldn't save him. No one could.

Lily ran. Her tears blinded her, but even if she could see, the darkness kept her sight. The image of the humanoid-creatures repeated in her mind. She wanted to forget them. She prayed that those creatures didn't follow her. She needed to get home. Her grandma would probably ground her for a month, but at this point Lily didn't mind being stuck in the house.

Her stomach hurt from running too fast. Deciding that she was far enough, she sat down.

She rubbed her stinging eyes and then leaned her head back against the cold bark. She closed her eyes to sleep and then reopened them when she heard a noise. From between two trees, a light moved toward her. Afraid the animal-people had found her, she moved to get up but her legs didn't listen to her. Numb, Lily scooted her body away from the tree, only to fall onto her side. The light was closer. She needed to get up. Move, she told her body. Yet her legs refused the command.

Her eyes burned from frozen tears. A shadowed figure came into view. A man in purple robes walked up to her collapsed body. A hood hid his face. He held a torch over her.

In a deep voice, he stated, "I had heard that there was a girl in the forest."

"Who are you?" Lily asked in a raised voice.

"Calm down little one. I won't hurt you."

"I saw creatures out there." Lily tried to point but her arm fell back onto the grass.

"Creatures?"

"People with animal faces. You're not one of them are you?"

"I am not."

"Show me your face then."

The man unwrapped material that covered his face but the hood remained.

"The hood too."

"You're a demanding thing, aren't you," he said in a dry voice after removing the hood.

Lily looked up into blue eyes. He crouched down and held the torch closer to his face. He had long blonde hair that went past his shoulders, pale skin, and a sharp nose. His face was normal.

"You're not one of them."

He smiled. "My name is Plutonian."

"I'm Lily, Lily Jacobson."

He nodded. "A pleasure. Now Lily, how did you end up here?"

"I don't know. I was playing hide and seek with my brother and his friend. I just walked and walked. I thought about giving up because it was very hot. And then it was very, very cold. That's when I ran into those animal-people."

"I see."

"Do you know how I can get back to my home?" Lily asked after a couple moments of silence.

"I don't. But I know someone who does."

"Really? Who?"

"An old friend of mine. Can you stand?"

"My legs are numb." Lily tried moving.

"Here let me." Plutonian moved his hand over her legs. A blue light rushed from his fingers and onto her legs. "Is that better?"

"How did you…? I can feel my legs again." She stood and brushed off her mud-covered dress. She looked down at the fabric and shook her head.

They walked side by side. Plutonian held the torch in front of him lighting their way. Lily crossed her arms in front of her and shivered. She looked up into the trees and tried to find any sign of branches.

"How large are these trees?"

"They're a thousand years old. It's impossible to see them at night."

"A thousand?"

"We call this place the Thousand Year Forest. It's as old as my people are."

"You mean the animal-people?"

"Yes. Animal by day, man at night. Cursed are we to have no face. Only the truth can free us. Lily, I don't think you came here by accident."

"I don't understand."

"It'll take too long to explain."

"How about shortening it?"

"I guess I will try." Plutonian walked saying nothing. She thought he might not say anything until he finally cleared his throat and said, "The king wanted his queen to be happy. They had everything. The people loved him, and he loved the people. But Xavia was sad. She secretly loved another. He was a weak and a poor man. The king found out about this man, so he killed the queen's lover. The king said, 'You will love only me'.

"The queen drowned herself. The king lost his mind. He had his wife brought back to life with an old magic. An angry voice spoke out and said, 'He who tries to take life into his own hands must live in pain and dream of death.'

"Soon the king lost everything. He had been cursed. His kingdom fell to ruin until finally everybody had forgotten the king and his people. Have you ever heard of the city of Silver Stone?"

Lily shook her head.

"That's because the kingdom was erased from earth."

"How is that even possible?"

He remained silent.

"Answer me."

"I can't."

"Why can't you?"

And again, Plutonian stayed silent.

She sighed. "Fine, then don't tell me." Lily stumbled over a rock. She quickly righted herself. She asked in a grumbling voice, "Do you know how much longer it will take to reach your friend? My grandma's probably worried out of her mind."

"I promise you that when you return, it'll be the same time you left."

"But I slept here and then ran forever. I don't even know what time it is. It has to be at least ten."

"There's no notion of time here. Only two people age in this dimension. You and the king."

"The king of Silver Stone? But then what about the animal-people? What about you?"

"Here touch my hand," Plutonian said. He stopped and waited for Lily.

Lily uncurled her arms from her body and went to touch him. Her hand went right through his. She jumped back, almost falling. She yelled, "You're a ghost."

"A spirit actually."

"I don't see the –"

"Do I frighten you? You weren't afraid me before I asked you to touch my hand."

Lily stared at him. She licked her lips and crossed her arms again. She looked toward the trees and then back at him. "I'm not…afraid of you."

"I'm glad. We're almost there."

After a couple minutes of walking, they finally arrived to see four bucks facing distorted air.

Plutonian called out, "Rodger Grumwell, I have a favor to ask of you."

One of the bucks turned toward him, left the group, and walked toward the pair.

"I'm in a bit of hurry," the buck said.

"Yes, I heard. You're to bring back the next king. I hear the current king has a day or two before he passes."

"So what do you need from me?"

"I need you to take Lily here back to her world."

"You mean the girl who brought –"

"Rodger," Plutonian interrupted, "don't you have to be somewhere?"

"I do. I can drop her off on my way."

"Lily," Plutonian said looking at her. "Rodger will take care of you. Just sit on his back and hold onto him so you don't fall off."

"Thank you for all your help."

"Let's hope that we meet again," he said with a smile before his body and torch vanished. The darkness returned. The only light was from the entrance between the two worlds.

"Just climb on my back."

"How is it that you can talk?" Lily asked climbing on the back of the buck.

"You mean being an animal?"

"Yes."

"Well, I'm actually a human. Hold on tight. We're about to leave."

Plutonian reappeared behind Rodger and Lily. He whispered, "Forget." Green light poured from his fingers. The spell surrounded her.

Lily's eyes glazed over. Her head collapsed onto her shoulder. Her grip still held as Rodger and the other three bucks entered the swirling air and light.

Lily sat up from the grass and looked up into her brother's face. He had been shaking her shoulders. Tears were in his eyes.

"Thank god, I found you."

"Why?" Lily asked in a scratchy voice.

"Jaxson's gone. Grandma…she wanted me to find…" Myles rubbed his eyes and hiccupped.

Lily sat up and hugged her brother. "What happened, Myles?"

"Grandma said he was dragged away by a buck." He stood up with Lily. "Why were you sleeping anyway?"

Holding her head, she replied, "I can't remember."

"Let's go back to the house."

"But I'm covered in dirt again."

Myles laughed and wiped the tear marks from his cheeks. "You're always dirty. What else is new?"

"They'll find Jaxson, Myles."

"Come on. Grandma's worried."

The buck tossed Jaxson onto a paved pathway. He was bleeding from hitting numerous rocks and shrubs. He tried to sit up, but the buck standing over him said, "Don't move." Horrified, Jaxson remained on the ground. He looked around and saw houses framing a stone paved street. Lamps with a flickering light lit the way up a massive hill where a large castle stood.

"Where did you bring me?" Jaxson waited for an answer. "I know you can speak."

"You are in Silver Stone."

"Where is that?"

"Dimension X. Now enough questions. A guard should be here to escort you to the castle."

"Take me home."

"I cannot. My duty was to bring you here, and here you will stay. There is the guard now."

A man dressed in all black walked up.

Jaxson shouted, "Let me go." He looked up into the guard's face and yelled, "A bear's face?"

Jaxson's head was struck, knocking him out.

Sucking in breath as he woke, Jaxson sat up. In a room full of many different antique chairs looking to be from different time periods, he surveyed the walls and furniture. An elderly man in Grecian-style robes lounged in a tall back chair drinking from a tea cup. He lazily eyed Jaxson from the other side of the room. When he saw that Jaxson awoke he set his cup and saucer down on the table in front of him.

"Where am I? Who are you? Why are you wearing a mask? And why are the bucks talking? And why does the guard have a bear face?" Jaxson asked.

"So many questions for just waking up." The elderly man shifted in his chair. "Hmm, well I'm wearing a plain half mask, and I'm not possessed by an animal spirit. There that was simple."

"How is that simple? And you didn't answer all of my questions."

The man laughed.

"Why did you bring me here?"

"You are the new king."

"New? What about the old one?"

"I'm dying."

"Oh. Sorry to hear that."

He smiled, "I need you to take my throne."

"Why me? There are millions of other people out there."

"I didn't choose you. Someone else did. We don't know who controls these things. There are rumors. And before you ask, we are cursed. Animal by day. Man at night. Cursed are we to have no face. Only the truth can free us."

"No face?"

The king took off his mask. Only a smooth surface where his eyes, nose had been remained. He slid the mask back in place. His eyes and nose returned. "Only I can remove my mask. If any other citizen tried, their soul would escape, and they would die."

"Can't I go? They can live without a king."

"Sadly, they cannot. The king is bound to this place. The citizens never age, but the king is mortal. Time is nonexistence here."

"If time is stopped here, how are you dying?"

"I was taken from earth like you. I was once a regular person. I was born in 1912 in San Francisco. I'm eighty-five years old. They brought me here when I was thirty-seven."

"I'm fourteen."

"You are one of the unlucky ones. The fifteenth king was nine."

"Why do these people need me?"

"To break the curse" The king looked at his watch. "I have only a few minutes left before I pass."

"You know the time of your death?"

The king nodded. "To break the curse you must do these five things: you must discover why the curse was casted, who casted it, and how to break it. You must remember your true name, and you must have someone from the outside world love you. If you can do these five things the curse will be broken and you and the people of Silver Stone will be free. All the previous kings' souls will rise from the Thousand Year Forest and enter the afterlife.

"Take this watch. To remember. Once it's on your arm the time will be reset. After I die, one of my servants will take you to your new room, and then you will meet the minister to begin your lessons."

"Will my face be like yours?"

"Once I die, the curse will take your body. You will inherit my name."

"That's why I have to remember my true name?"

"Yes. You will be known from this point on as Cherem. King Cherem. I was told that it means cursed. Now you must say it."

Jaxson hesitated but then said, "My name is Cherem."

"Good. You know what you must do. I ask God to guide you. God has not entered Silver Stone for quite a long time."

"What is your name?"

"My true name is George Isaac." The king closed his eyes, and as his body turned to dust. The mask faded and reappeared on Jaxson's face. The king disappeared.


	2. Chapter 1

Callimae, Mississippi

Fourteen years later

Zyler Beauton had been the third kidnapped woman that month. With one shoe and torn clothes, she cried as she hobbled down the freeway. She stumbled between the grass and the white line. Cars honked and zoomed around her. Startled, her eyes darted toward the trees. They were watching. She ran. He was coming for her. She refused to live with him. Since she had escaped, she needed to tell someone, but who would believe her? Her legs gave out and she collapsed landing on her forearms. Zyler grasped the old wound peeking out from her sleeve. Pulling her hand away, she stared at her bloodied fingers. It was black. Why her? Why had she been chosen? This was all because of Lily; it was her fault.

"Does she have a driver's license on her? Anything with her identity?" Derek Ross, fierce and unnaturally handsome, asked with a heavy sigh.

"I'm sorry, detective," she said, inching closer. Pursing her lips, she batted her eyes.

"Do you have any idea when she'll wake up?" In a dark wrinkled suit, he tugged at his collar and avoided eye contact with the overly-happy nurse.

"No. But…"

"Yes? Go on."

"When we looked her over, we found wounds."

"Yes, I imagine you would. This is a hospital."

"Well there are wounds and then there are wounds."

"A very wonderful description," he said with a dry voice.

She shrugged. "I have to finish my rounds."

"Do you mind if I have a look at these wounds?"

"Go right ahead, detective." She gave him another blinding smile before she disappeared down the hall.

The wallpaper was worn, and the floor was cracked but newly waxed. One of the lights flickered. Nurses chattered in hushed voices as patients sat in chairs. A doctor walked to a family with his head down and arms crossed behind his back. Derek Ross looked around and moved toward the entrance to Jane Doe's room. He glanced down at his notes and grimaced as he tapped the tip of his shoe on the white tile. He closed his notebook and glimpsed at his watch.

"Will you hurry up," he said in a hard whisper, crossing his arms over his chest.

Myles Jacobson, a tall man wearing a faded grey suit, entered the hallway carrying two to-go coffee cups. He had dark brown hair and muddy green eyes. Myles was an exasperating, talkative man with a charmingly annoying sense of humor. He could talk a person's ear off and keep on for hours.

Myles tip-toed up behind Derek and said, "Who in blazes are you talking to? If you keep doing that people are going to start asking questions. And you know that's our job. Don't let them take our jobs away, Derek."

Derek stood with his jaw shut tight and eyes closed. He took a deep breath and then shouted. "Don't do that."

"Do what?"

"Damn it, Myles, you know what I'm talking about. Showing up and scaring the hell out of me."

"Excuse me and you're weak heart. I didn't know you had one. Who would've thought?"

Derek groaned. "Knock it off, will you?"

"Yeah, yeah. And you know it's good for you."

"What?" Derek asked with a sharp breath.

"Getting scared-the-hell-out-of. And I'll say it again and again. It's good for you. I don't want you getting a big head. That would be more trouble for me, and you know how I am. Work, work, work is all we do. When will we get a break? Oh and here's your coffee."

"Just shut up will you."

"Whatever you say."

"Sometimes I feel like I brought a senile old woman along on duty."

Myles laughed.

"Quiet. You're going to wake the hospital, and we have work to do. If you're going to keep laughing then go do it out in the car." Derek growled as he grabbed the coffee from Myles and then stormed into the room.

"You're funny, you know that?" Myles laughed, following his partner into the room. "I don't know what my sister sees in you. It's not like your dating or anything. Whoops, I don't think I was supposed to say that. Oh, well, you weren't paying any attention to me anyhow. Now what was I talking about again?"

Derek stood next to the hospital bed with his head down. He had the bandages partially removed when he commanded, "Myles come here. Now."

Myles exhaled and shook his head. "You know. You really need to loosen up, because my sister…what the hell is that?"

"I don't know. Does that look like it's glowing to you?"

"Maybe. Hell. How are we going to describe this in paper?" Myles groaned. He set his coffee down on a dresser and then collapsed in a nearby chair. "Why do we always get the hard cases? Man, now I'm never going to get that break. Because you're going to go into hard drive and –."

"Myles, I need you to focus. Please, get your head out of your ass for once and help me think. What could do this?"

Myles remained silent and stared out the window.

Derek still held the bandages in his hand. "If we just get past that glowing and look at the wound…it looks a lot like a bear wound, you know. And then there's the black core. Her muscle should be a red color but it's black. How is that even possible? It's like her muscle is dead…" Derek gave another sigh and then re-wrapped the wound. "Myles get out the notes from the previous girls and reread them to me."

"I don't see how that's going to help. Those stories we got from those two other girls were ridiculous, and they didn't have glowing bear marks."

"Will you just do it? I know there's a connection. And until she wakes up, we will review the notes as many times as it takes until we memorized it. Understand?"

"I get it. Just give me a sec, will you?" Myles pulled the small notebook from the inside pocket of his suit out. He flipped the front cover and sorted through the pages.

"Hurry up, I don't have all day."

"Calm down. I have them. Okay, the first. Veronica Belle. Twenty-six. Single. Lives twenty minutes away from Fenton, North Carolina. She said she was on a road trip so that she could visit her sister in Arizona when she was kidnapped."

"And that's where everything started to get weird." Derek stated.

"She said fairies appeared in her car as she was passing through Quinton, Mississippi. She woke up in the woods. Then everything after that went hazy. She says."

Derek began pacing in the hospital room. "And that's where we found her on the side of the road near Gulfport. And how far is Quinton from here again?"

"An hour and a half."

"Next."

"We have Rose Houghton. Twenty-four. Single. Lives three hours away from Callimae. She was leaving her driveway to see her parents when she said she saw little men running out from her bushes."

"Little men?"

"Well…gnomes…"

"Garden gnomes?"

"No."

"Then what?" Derek asked in a sharp voice.

"They were around two to three feet tall, wearing green and brown clothing. And they blended with their surroundings."

"And she followed them, correct?"

"Yeah, she followed them into the woods behind her house. Then suddenly she woke up near a lake and it was snowing. She said something about animals talking."

"Talking?"

"I don't know. We couldn't get anything else out of her. She said she couldn't remember anything else."

"And then that's where she was found on the side of the road." Derek finally sat down in a chair near the door. "One thing's clear. These girls were all found on the same road outside of Gulfport."

"Where am I?" A scratchy voice asked in a whisper.

Derek stood. "You're in the hospital. And try not to move, okay?"

"Do you mind if we ask you a few questions?" Myles inquired with a smile. "It won't take too long."

"Who are you?" The woman asked.

"The question is who are you?" Derek replied, moving his chair closer to the bed. He sat back down and pulled out his notebook and pen.

"Zyler Beauton."

"We're Detectives Ross and Jacobson." Derek then asked, "Now can you remember anything before –"

"Before I was kidnapped? Yeah I remember. I remember everything. I don't know why he didn't wipe my memory like the other two."

"Okay, wait. Who's he?"

"Cherem."

"How do you say that?"

"Kay-rem. He wears a hood. So I don't know the color of his hair. He wears a black half-mask that covers from his forehead to his nose. He's clean shaven. He has light tanned skin."

"He wears a mask?" Myles asked. "What a psycho."

"Where did he take you? What did he do to you?" Derek asked.

She pointed to her arm. "I had this happen to me in the forest by a black dog. I'm probably going to die."

"You don't know that," Myles said softly.

"Black dogs signify death. My blood is black. Unless the doctor can find a cure for me I'll die."

"Dogs don't kill people. Even if they have rabies –"

"No, a black dog is a mythical creature. If you see one it means death. Being attacked by one means I'm really going to die. Cherem told me he would send me back. I didn't want him to erase my memory."

"Why? Why is he doing this?"

"Animal by day, man at night. He wears a mask and forever he will be cursed until death. If he doesn't find the woman who will break the curse then he will die and the curse will continue." Zyler looked at Myles. "Is your name Myles Jacobson?"

"How do you know my name?"

"Your sister is next. She has been chosen. She will disappear tonight. And you will not find her. Any man who steps into Silver Stone will turn into an animal. You will never see her again. She has been chosen. _Lily. Will. Disappear._"

Zyler started screaming at the top of her lungs.

Nurses came rushing in. The two detectives were ushered out of the hospital room and into the hall.


	3. Chapter 2

Lily Jacobson was in real trouble. Her date with her brother's partner was in two hours, and she couldn't choose between the black and white dress and the blue and purple flowered one. She wanted to be classy, but at the same time, she needed to be sexy. She gazed at the time again. It was five o'clock. She had enough time to take a shower, do her hair and put on some make-up; well, she hoped that was enough time. She took a quick glance back at the dresses lying on her queen-sized bed and chewed on her lip. She then remembered a few minutes later that she was wasting time. She gave a heavy sigh and then laughed at herself. She finally decided on the black and white one. It was classy and sexy all in the same dress.

She had just gotten out of the shower when her cell phone started ringing. Dressed in a white fuzzy towel, she flung open the bathroom door and made a run for the phone. She touched the answer button on her phone screen and said, "Hello? Babe, I'm going to put you on speaker phone. Yeah. I got to finish getting dressed." Lily touched the button and then tossed the phone on the bed.

A female voice emanated from the speaker. "You're my best friend, Lily. I hope you know what you're doing…" There was a slight pause, and then giggling came from the phone. "I'm just teasing you. I know how you can get so tense about certain things. Don't worry."

"I'm not worrying. Well, not a lot. But maybe just a little. Are you sure this is okay? I mean he's my brother's partner."

"Girl, he's hot and that's all that matters."

"No, I don't think so. He has to have personality and – why are we even talking about this?"

"Because you need to get it out."

"I guess."

"Are you going to invite him back to your place?"

"No! Babe, you don't do that on a first date. And you know I promised my grandma that I wouldn't do anything."

"Yeah, yeah. But you're lucky you know. I know I've told you this so many times already, but I still can't believe your grandma left you the house!"

"Babe, it's been a couple months already. But it was nice of her, wasn't it." Slight pause. "Hey, I can't stay on long. I just got out of the shower."

"Yeah, I get it. Well, call me when you get back from your hot and sexy date. I'm so jealous, Lily, if this man-toy doesn't fall for you, then he doesn't know what he's missing. And remember, call me. Good luck, better hope you get a kiss!"

The phone call ended.

Lily couldn't decide if she wanted to smile or frown, so she had to go somewhere in between. She gripped her towel to her body and made her way back into the bathroom.

She received another phone call forty-five minutes before date-time. She dug through her purse and pulled out her cell phone. Recognizing the ring tone, she quickly answered the phone and said, "Hey, what's up? No. I'm fine…Myles, please…okay, fine, give me a minute. I was trying to finish up so last minute touches. Let me put you on speaker phone…yeah, yeah. Just hold on."

"Are you sure everything's okay?"

"Myles, why wouldn't I be?"

"It's just…nothing, I'm just glad you're okay."

"Just because you're my older brother and we look nearly alike, doesn't mean I'm going to let you talk me out of this date. Wait – don't tell me, Derek's having second thoughts?"

"What? Lily, will you calm down. This has nothing to do with that. I just wanted to check on you."

Lily stopped fixing her mascara and looked down at the phone that lay on the sink. "Since when have you had to check on me? I'm not a little kid anymore, I am twenty-five. I am a grown woman, thank you very much."

"You sound okay. Then I guess everything was –"

"Everything was what? Are you sure everything's all right on your end? Myles, I think you need to take a vacation."

"Man, do I need one…hey, Lily. Derek told me to tell you, he's on his way to pick you up. So be ready."

"He's there?"

"He was, but he just left. Do you want me to go catch him?"

"No. I was just curious to see what he was doing."

"Nothing, he never does anything. He just sits around like a lump of butter…but Lily, are you sure nothing strange has happened today? Like anything out of the ordinary?"

"Nope, it's been another boring day. No weird stuff here."

"Good. But if anything does, call me okay."

"If I say, okay, will you drop it?"

"I'm serious, Lily."

She sighed, "Fine, I will."

"Well, I better let you go, so you can finish getting ready. Remember call me if anything strange happens. Love you.

"Love you too."

"See you later, little sister."

Lily sighed and shook her head over that strange phone call. It was usual for Myles to never stop talking, but that conversation was weird. She looked into the mirror and glanced over her features: black curly hair and green eyes. She fixed a smudge of eye liner; and when she was finally satisfied, she left the bathroom and turned off the light.

"If you would please come this way, we have a table all ready for you," the hostess said while pointing the way with the menus. She gave a big smile and began walking past a section of tables.

Lily gave a sigh and elbowed Derek in the ribs. She smiled at him and followed after the hostess. She glanced back and looked Derek over. He was wearing a gray suit with a black shirt and white tie. His black hair was brushed back, though a few strands refused to stay in place. She knew his gray-green eyes had to be moving restlessly. He was acting more alert than his usual agitated self since he had picked her up twenty minutes ago. She groaned, faced frontwards and followed the hostess around the corner.

"Here you are." The hostess said with a polite smile. "A server should be with you soon."

Lily hooked her purse on the chair. She waited for Derek. He pulled out his chair and sat.

"I hope everything is okay?" Lily asked.

"Hmm? Everything's fine. I'm just preoccupied."

"With what?"

He was silent.

"Can't say?" Lily looked down at the menu and plastered on a smile. She looked back up at him and found that his grayish-green eyes were centered on her. "I'm just teasing you. I understand it's work-related. So…" Smooth, Lily thought.

A young man walked up to the table, but slightly backed-up when Derek turned his cold glare on the server.

"H-hi, what w-would you like to drink?" He stuttered.

Lily gave him an enormous smile and replied, "I'll have a sweet tea, and the same for my friend."

The server ignored Derek and returned the smile. "I'll be right back with the drinks."

"What was that about?" Lily nearly shouted, but then quieted her voice when she noticed the stares she was receiving.

"Nothing."

"Nothing? You nearly sent the server flying away with the look you gave him."

Derek cleared his throat and hid a smile. "Sorry, I'm just tense…a cold case opened up today and I'm tense. Okay?"

"I'll forgive you this time. Just try not to scare off everyone who comes up to the table or our food might go flying next." Lily opened her menu and scanned through the items. "Everything looks good."

Derek opened his menu and sat quietly as he glanced down.

The server returned with the drinks. He avoided eye-contact with Derek and kept his attention on Lily while he talked. "Hi, my name's Josh, and I'll be your server tonight. Our special today is the Angus beef steak with a side of lobster tail. Do you know what you'll be having or should I give you a few more minutes?"

"I believe we're ready," Lily said before Derek. "I will be having the shrimp fettuccine. Can I add mushrooms and take out the tomatoes?"

"That'll be fine. And for you, sir?"

"I'll try the special. And for an appetizer we'll have the artichoke dip." Derek replied tightly.

The server took the menus and then hurried off.

Lily took a sip of tea and remained silent. She kept her attention on Derek's profile; as usual his eyes were directed elsewhere. His eyes fixed suddenly on hers.

"So how's my brother these days?" she asked, not knowing what else to talk about.

"Fine, he's fine."

"Uh-huh. Okay… how's your cat?"

"My cat?"

"Myles told me you had one. Black and white with a grey tail."

"Oh, he did, did he?" Derek sighed. "Well, my cat's fine."

"That's good." Lily clenched her hands underneath the table and forced a smile. She swore her eye was twitching.

"Is everything all right?"

"Yes, just grand." Lily said with a tight smile.

"I see."

"Yes, I bet you do."

"Are you sure everything's okay?"

"Yes, first my brother and now you? Everything's fine."

"What?" Derek asked; his eyes remained on her. She found that she liked it better when his eyes were moving.

"Well, I mean, Myles called asking me if everything was all right. Then he kept prodding me if anything weird has happened. And I kept telling him my day was normal."

Still his eyes stayed on her. She felt her face grow warm under his gaze.

"You know it's not nice to stare."

He smiled and took a sip of his tea.

"Oh, look, here comes our appetizer."


	4. Chapter 3

Derek did his best to relax but failed miserably during dinner. It took nerves sent from God to calm him down afterwards. When he arrived to pick Lily up, the only thing he wanted to do was carry her off and hide her. The possessiveness clawed at his insides. What did that damn Cherem want with Lily? His mind was in a jumble. He couldn't shake off that woman's words from the hospital. Her voice continuously echoed through his mind. Jumping at shadows and noises, he felt no better than a rookie. Dinner had been a disaster; he didn't blame Lily if she refused to go out with him again. He really screwed up their first date, though she didn't seem too angry with him when he brought her home. Once everything was over, he swore he'd apologize for his behavior; but right now, he had a stake-out to concentrate on. And damn him, he couldn't stop thinking of Lily. Failure was not allowed. He refused to allow her to be taken away. Sitting outside of Lily's house, in his car, he watched and waited for anything and everything. If he noticed any unusual details, he would make his move and charge inside. Five officers surrounded the house, waiting for his signal to move.

Derek leaned away from the steering wheel and yawned. He looked down at the digital clock. It was a quarter to midnight. Why was he so tired? He must be getting old. Derek smiled. Snoring filled the car. Derek glanced back in the rear view mirror at Myles and yawned again. His eyes were slowly closing. Damn, he was sleepy. Just as his eyes were about to close, the first light turned on. Derek grabbed for his cold coffee, took a gulp and then reached for the door.

_Meow_ echoed through the house. Lily's eyes opened. She lied awake in her bed waiting for the sound again. At first, she thought she was hearing noises, but when the sound echoed again, she kicked off the covers. Lily slid out of her bed and grabbed for the robe that lay on the chair next to her lamp. Pulling on her robe, she walked to her bedroom door. The wooden floor in the hall creaked under her feet. Lily felt along the wall and then switched on the light.

The meowing was louder now. Her hand trailed along the wall. She stepped into the living room and turned on the next light. She didn't see a cat. Lily moved further into the living room, past her grandmother's couches and the TV. She waited for the next sound then ambled past the glass sliding doors and then stepped into the kitchen. The meowing came from behind her. Something cold touched the back of her neck. Alarm rushed through her, spinning around she saw nothing.

_Meow._

She rubbed her arms, feeling the goose bumps on her skin. Lily noticed that the sliding door was cracked open.

A shadow stirred from behind the couch. She stepped closer and in the light she saw the head of a cat. She crouched down. "Hi, little guy. I guess you got through the sliding door. I don't remember leaving the door opened…unless Myles stopped over."

The cat meowed. Lily inched toward the shadow. She reached out her hand to pet the cat. The shadow morphed into a large round clump. A hand appeared in the light and caught her wrist. The shadow suddenly enlarged to where she found herself starring at a man with the face of a cat.

She screamed.

An icy chill flushed through his system when a piercing scream rang through the darkness. Derek flew across the yard and kicked open the front door. He reached for his pager when he stopped moving. Terror rushed over him when he caught a glimpse of the creature that held Lily over his shoulders. Swallowing, he willed his body to move. He wasn't sure how long he stood frozen staring at the thing that was walking toward the sliding door.

Derek's eyes trailed over the cat-man. He wore a black and gray ancient-looking suit. A top hat rested on his head and a cane on his arm. The cat-man reached the door. Lily was flinging her arms and legs as she pounded her fists on his back. She frantically looked up, spotted Derek and then screamed his name.

Cursing his fear, Derek unhooked his gun from his belt and quickly pushed a button on his pager. He shoved a chair out of his way and jumped onto and over the couch. Derek shoved open the sliding door and sprinted outside, cocking his gun.

"Derek_,_" Lily screamed.

Derek looked around and saw that the cat-man had already reached the entrance to the woods. He heard the shouts of the officers from nearby.

"Give me a flashlight," Derek shouted as he started running after the cat-man. Derek caught an incoming flashlight as he made his way across the yard.

Gun in hand, Derek switched on the flashlight and entered the woods. Lights suddenly turned on behind him. Derek pushed in between two trees as he forced his way into the woods. Shoving branches out of his way, the lights of the other officers began to fade. He heard Lily's voice again as it echoed around the trees.

Derek's heart pounded in his ears. Where was she? He directed the light through the trees as he kept running. He was going to lose her. Derek shoved another branch out of the way. The light reflected the disturbed air as the branch cascaded off. His shout of warning was too late; Derek ran right into the distorted area.

Lily Jacobson no longer heard Derek's voice. She was alone, and she had no idea where this creature was taking her. She prayed out loud, hoping for a miracle. She was no longer fighting her captor. Her strength ran from her; exhausted she allowed the man with a cat's face carry her to her doom. She believed that once dawn came she would no longer exist. Wherever her captor was taking her, she knew she would never see her brother, Myles or Derek again. She was on her way to meet death.

A carriage awaited them. The cat-man set her down on her feet and shoved her into the open door. She fell onto the floor and waited. He pointed at the seat, patiently waiting. Lily stared at the cushion for a second and then pulled herself off the floor. She sat on the cushion and waited. She told herself, even if she escaped, she had no idea where she was. In a robe and a pair of pajamas, she couldn't do much without any shoes. She accepted her fate.

The cat-man climbed in and sat on the cushion across from her, shutting the door behind him. Using his cane, he tapped on the roof. The carriage started in motion. The blinds to the windows were closed. Suddenly, the carriage was cast in dim light. A lamp, inside the carriage, flickered in the corner behind Lily.

She eyed the cat-man with fear. His face was in light and shadows. He still wore the top hat on his head. His eyes were directed at her.

"W-who are you?" Lily finally asked after a long period.

He cocked his head to the side and remained silent. His whiskers twitched and then he finally replied, "My name was once Lord Dalestrom, but after a great many years, a new name was given to me. I am now Mr. Alestair Westmire."

Lily remained silent. She wasn't sure if she should say anything or converse with the creature. He could speak which was unusual. She hoped her hair didn't turn gray. Finally she opened her mouth and asked, "Where are you taking me?"

"To my home."

"Why?"

"Because my master has wished for it. And now it is done."

"But what does your master want with me?"

"I only receive his orders. I do not know." Alestair crossed his left leg over his right and leaned back against the cushion. He propped his cane against the door.

Lily watched him for a moment and then asked, "Where is your home?"

Alestair smiled. "You would not know of it. Because it does not exist."

"I don't understand."

"I am sure you wouldn't. We were wiped off the map a thousand years ago. In reality, we do not exist."

"We?"

"Right now, we are traveling between worlds. Just look out your window and you will see."

"We?"

"Right now, we are traveling between worlds. Just look out your window and you will see."

Lily's hands shook as she slowly unhooked the rope cord and slid open the curtain. She caught a glimpse of a black and white sky. She then looked down and saw a whirlpool-like crater. Lily let out a cry and jumped away from the window.

"Have a care and try not to rock the carriage too much," Alestair advised. "If the road breaks too soon, we will meet our end. But I doubt it."

"What do you mean?" Lily whispered.

"I mean if the carriage is rocked too much, then the path will break. It is made of a fragile glass that shatters from a great amount of weight."

"What?" Lily shrieked.

"Don't worry; the path has not broken yet. Now if something were to enter from the other world before the portal closed, then we have something to worry about."

Lily let out a shuttered breath and curled into a ball. She hoped and prayed Derek did not follow her, because if he did then they would all surely die.

She gradually opened her eyes and then closed them. Had she fallen asleep? Her eyes flew open; she glanced around the carriage. A cat slept on the cushion across from her. Alestair was gone. A great panic claimed her; did they pass through that chasm? Lily pushed open the curtain and was amazed at the view the forest gave her. From her position in the carriage, she saw only the trees' trunks. When she tried to glance up, she couldn't see any branches or leaves.

A shadow separated itself from one of the trunks and leaped toward the carriage. Lily screamed.

The cat, from the cushion, jumped onto her lap and placed its paws on her chest.

She kept her attention on the dog that ran toward the carriage. Glowing red eyes and white teeth kept her from closing the curtain. Caught in a trance, all she could do was scream.

"Close the curtain."

The voice broke through the spell. Her fingers released the fabric, and it closed. The howling from the dog was silenced and the threat disappeared.

The cat soared away from her and back onto the cushion. Lily sunk back into the seat and closed her eyes.

"What was that thing?" Not expecting an answer, she took a deep breath.

"That was a black dog."

Lily jumped in her seat.

"As I said before, my home does not exist. Everything that becomes either forgotten or unreal comes to life here."

Lily stared wide-eyed at the cat curled in a ball. "Who-who…"

"I apologize for my appearance."

"Alestair?"

"Yes."

"Why are you a cat?"

"I don't know if that is a question you should ask yet."

"Could you at least tell me something?"

He exhaled. "I will only tell you a small piece. The rest you must figure out yourself. Understand?"

She nodded.

"My home once was a beautiful land. I cannot remember the name because it has been so very long. A curse was placed on my home. Since that day, we are animal by day and man at night. We must wear the mask of the animal we possess. It can be taken off, but at a price. I have never tried. But I have heard stories about those who have."

"And?"

He shook his head. "That is all you'll be getting out of me. As I said, you must figure out the extensity of this curse and ask why."

"I don't understand. Why me? Couldn't it have been someone else?"

"We tried three others before you. But they only made it so far. We must see if you will pass the same tests they undertook."

"And if I fail?"

"Fail? That is no longer an option. You must be the one."

She swallowed and huddled closer to the cushion. "Should I be warned of anything else that might pop out at me?"

His cat eyes met hers. "Are you referring to the black dog from earlier?"

"Yes. I mean…what is a black dog?"

"Something that you do not want to cross. You were lucky that we were in the carriage. If you had been outside, a curse of death would have been taken hold of you."

"Death?"

"Every myth and legend that has been told comes to life. Though in your world, there were multiple ones told, and everyone happened to be true. With the black dog, they predict death. But as I said, we are safe inside the carriage."

Lily's hand went up to her throat.

"We will be arriving."

"Arriving where?"

"To meet my master."

Lily was silent as she waited. She didn't dare open the curtain again, so she kept her hands balled on her lap. Alestair jumped down onto the floor and then strode out just as the door opened. Lily took a deep breath, tied her robe together, and stepped out with bare feet.


	5. Chapter 4

Cherem missed sunlight. He thought as he looked into the pond. An everlasting fog surrounded him. The fog prevented him from taking deep breaths. He was never able to stay here long, but he wished he could stay and watch her forever. Every time he saw his reflection, he was reminded of the monster he transformed into. He tried to keep the pain hidden from everyone. He wore a façade, and part of him enjoyed playing the monster.

He failed with the last three women. He thought if he tried to find someone to replace Lily he could forget about her. He realized quickly that he was wrong. No one could replace her. She was different, and she would be his. Now, Cherem saw that there was another man, a cop, who threatened Cherem's and Lily's happiness. Cherem couldn't influence anything that Lily chose to do; however, he could prevent men from moving into her life. He had done it before, and it would not be the last time. He'd have Lily save in his arms. No other man could have her.

Cherem frowned as he watched the scene in the water.

"Thanks for the date. Even though you decided to either glare me into sitting straight or stare me into a puddle of mush, I enjoyed your company. I know that doesn't make any sense. But I never make much sense to begin with," Lily said walking away from Derek's car. Derek followed close behind her. She turned toward him and nearly tipped backwards. Derek caught her and pulled her into his arms.

"Derek, what are you doing?"

"Hugging you."

"But why? This is our first date."

"Lily, I'm not kissing you. This is only a hug."

Rattling noises surrounded them.

"What in God's name is that?" Derek nearly shouted, releasing Lily and shoving her behind him. He pulled his gun from his holster against his chest and spun around.

"Leave," voices whispered and repeated. The wind howled, and the sky darkened. The branches ushered them away as they swayed.

Derek pulled out his phone and sent a text to Myles asking for back-up. "Lily, I want you to go back into the house. It's not safe out here. Promise me, you'll stay in the house no matter what, all right?"

Lily smiled. "I promise."

Cherem laughed. No one will steal her away from him. He had been waiting fourteen years. He needed Lily more than she needed him. She was predestined to be with him. She may have forgotten, but according to his people, she brought God into Silver Stone. No matter what he had to do, he would keep her safe. Even if he had to murder, Cherem would make sure that she'd stay his – forever.

Myles Jacobson woke with a sudden sharp pain at the back of his head. The last thing he remembered was opening the back car door and lying down. He had been on duty when he stepped into the woods to take a whiz when he felt a presence. His nose tickled, and then he felt sleepy. Voices were shouting his name. He rubbed his head and got out of the car.

"Sir, we lost sight of them."

"Lost sight of what? Give me an update."

"We followed Ross, who had been chasing after your sister. We followed him into the back woods. He yelled for a flashlight, and before we knew what happened, your sister, Ross, and the perpetrator disappeared. We've been searching for a few hours, and we have found nothing."

Myles cursed and shoved the officer out of his way as he said, "Call for back-up immediately. And show me where you lost sight of Ross." He'd be damned if he allowed that bastard to kidnap his sister; he already lost his best friend. He refused to lose anything else precious to him.

He shoved through brush and branches. He swung his flashlight around, shouting Lily's and Ross's names. Many bright lights swayed through the darkness. The long, skinny trees created patches of deep shadows. He hoped nothing hid in those shadows, waiting to jump out. Myles pulled out his notebook and aimed his flashlight at the wavy, unreadable handwriting.

"There has to be something in these notes," Myles shouted out of frustration. He had to realize the clues. There had to be something in his past. Myles thought and quickly remembered Jaxson. He had been kidnapped too, but why?

"Leave," a voice whispered from behind him.

Myles dropped his flashlight and turned around. He took a step back and tripped over his flashlight. With jumbled movements, he swept the flashlight up and aimed the light at the creature. A large man with long brown hair, the face of a buck, and antlers stood as though he might pounce on Myles if he made any sudden movements. Frozen, Myles could only stare in horror up at the creature.

"Leave," the buck man repeated. "You do not belong here."

Myles's lips quivered as he attempted to find his words. He finally opened his mouth on a shout for help. Two buck men, hiding in the shadows, came to stand in the light.

"He has been chosen," the smallest of the deer men said.

"King Cherem has asked that we bring this man into our world," the second said with a soft voice as he crossed his arms and leaned toward one side.

"But doesn't the king know that this man will transform –?" the buck man with long brown hair questioned.

"It has been decided," the smallest of the men interrupted.

"Did you kidnap my sister?" Myles stood up, grabbed and directed his gun at the bucks. "Answer me, damn it."

"We are not the ones who took your sister."

"What about Jaxson? My friend from fourteen years ago. You were the ones who took him, weren't you? And don't lie to me."

"We were the ones who took him."

"Where are they? Where are Ross, Lily, and Jaxson?"

"If you want to know, come with us."

"No." Myles stepped forward. "You will bring them to me, here. Or I will shoot all three of you."

"You can shoot, but we will not die."

Myles wavered and shook his head. "You'll die, because I never miss."

"Our master requests your presence," one of the buck men said. They transformed into their animal form.

In less than a moment, Myles had been surrounded by antlers; the gun knocked from his hand. He could hear shouting off in the distance. His back-up would arrive, but they'd be too late to stop this madness.


End file.
